ALFRETON Town had to soak up some acute pressure from a Workington side seeking their first home win of the season and their first goal in four games when the two teams met in deepest Cumbria on Tuesday night.
But the Reds emerged with a creditable draw to make the long journey home just about bearable.
Continuous rainfall all afternoon had left the Borough Park pitch soggy in places, and a strong, blustery wind certainly did not help either side's cause, Craig Dootson the first keeper in action when he repelled a powerful drive by Andy Cook in the seventh minute.
Five minutes later Anthony Howell was tripped by Tom Aldred on the edge of the area after a mazy run, but Ian Ross’s free kick was comfortably held by home keeper Tony Caig.
With 16 minutes gone, a crunching tackle by Shaun Vipond on Dominic Roma earned a lecture from the referee and the free kick from Ross was turned back into the box by Paul Clayton from beyond the back post, Howell’s overhead kick from six yards only just off target.
Gareth Arnison’s direct run in the 20th minute led to Dootson holding his shot, then seven minutes later Lee Andrews’ vital touch prevented a cross by Ross from reaching Clayton in front of goal.
An over-hit back pass by Kyle McFadzean in the 28th minute conceded a corner that led to Andrews’ glaring miss from less than a yard distance.
Three minutes later Workington took the lead when Anthony Wright’s free kick from around 25 yards out was helped into the net by an Alfreton defender in a crowded box.
There was a change of formation in the 38th minute when Liam Hearn replaced Josh Law and Howell moved out wide, the first half ending with Hearn’s weak angled drive being held by Caig after a Ross free kick had been headed on by Richard Pell.
Jordan Hall replaced Mattie Burke at the interval, the latter having received a knock on the previous Saturday.
Howell’s 50th minute cross from the right led to Pell and Hearn each having efforts blocked, then a minute later McFadzean’s low drive had to be tipped around the near post by Caig.
Cook advanced on 53 minutes only to fire wide from a good position then on 72 minutes a McFadzean error let in Matt Henney on the right but his angled drive was smothered by Dootson.
Sixty seconds later Aden Flint’s weak back header almost put Dootson in trouble again, but the keeper hacked clear as Cook homed in.
Then, at the other end on 76 minutes, a neat inter-change between Hearn and Jamie Yates who had replaced Ross seven minutes earlier, led to Caig conceding a corner that produced the equaliser.
In the absence of Ross, Yates took the flag kick which Andrews partially cleared to Anton Brown on the edge of the area, and his low goalbound drive took a hefty deflection off Hearn to leave Caig stranded.
Dootson needed to pull off the save of the night in the 78th minute to keep Alfreton on level terms blocking Cook’s close range shot from a swift break by Henney, then with seven minutes left a Howell corner led to Yates having his shot blocked before Flint’s goalbound drive struck Hearn in a painful area and diverted the ball off target.

 

Workington: Tony Caig, Andy Langford, Gari Rowntree, Tom Aldred, Lee Andrews, Shaun Vipond, Matt Henney, Tony Hopper, Andy Cook, Gareth Arnison (Dan Shannon 83), Anthony Wright (Callum Ruttledge 75).
Substitutes not used: Andy Hardman, Phil McLuckie, Darren Edmondson.
Alfreton Town: Craig Dootson, Dominic Roma, Kyle McFadzean, Aden Flint, Richard Pell, Ian Ross (Yates 69), Mattie Burke (Jordan Hall, h/t), Anton Brown, Paul Clayton, Anthony Howell, Josh Law (Liam Hearn 38).
Substitutes not used: Matt Wilson, Paddy Gamble.
Referee: Mr C Backhouse of Brampton, Cumbria.
Attendance: 337.
Goals: Workington - Anthony Wright (31). Alfreton Town - Liam Hearn (77).
Bookings: None.
Reds man of the match: Craig Dootson.